Offense (25)

QB (2): Justin Fields, PJ Walker

RB (4): Khalil Herbert, D'onta Foreman, Travis Homer, Trestan Ebner

FB (1): Khari Blasingame

WR (6): DJ Moore, Chase Claypool, Darnell Mooney, Velus Jones Jr., Equanimeous St. Brown, Nsimba Webster

TE (3): Cole Kmet, Robert Tonyan, Chase Allen

OL (9): Braxton Jones, Nate Davis, Larry Borom, Cody Whitehair, Lucas Patrick, Teven Jenkins, Doug Kramer, Dieter Eiselen, Alex Leatherwood/Ja'Tyre Carter

 

Defense

DL (9): Trevis Gipson, DeMarcus Walker, Justin Jones, Dominique Robinson, Andrew Billings, Rasheem Green, Andrew Brown, Jalyn Holmes, DL8

LB (6): Tremaine Edmunds, TJ Edwards, Jack Sanborn, Dylan Cole, Sterling Weatherford, Terrell Lewis

S (4): Eddie Jackson, Jaquan Brisker, Elijah Hicks, A.J. Thomas

CB (6): Jaylon Johnson, Kyler Gordon, Jaylon Jones, Kindle Vildor, Josh Blackwell, Michael Ojemudia

 

Specialist

K: Cairo Santos

P: Trenton Gill

LS: Patrick Scales

 

Holes (1):  DL

Upgrades (12): WRx1, TEx1, OLx3, DLx2, LBx2, S, CBx3

My guess is they won't want to go into the draft with actual holes in the 53-man roster, so I suspect that they will look to sign a few more FAs to fill those holes.  Then they have to figure out how many upgrades they can afford to get between the remainder of FA, the draft, UDFAs, and late FA. 

Thoughts?

35 minutes ago, adam said:

Upgrades:  OLx2,

You listed Evans as an addition (and assuming upgrade) but what was the other?  The fact Musty left?  

I'd argue there's still a need at OL.  With the uncertainty of Whitehair (whether he'll play Center or at all) I'd feel better with another proven vet or higher quality drafted one. Eislen had one maybe two tries at Center before the end of last season?  Kramer still hasn't done much (even though he was out on IR for most of last year).

15 minutes ago, Alaskan Grizzly said:

You listed Evans as an addition (and assuming upgrade) but what was the other?  The fact Musty left?  

I'd argue there's still a need at OL.  With the uncertainty of Whitehair (whether he'll play Center or at all) I'd feel better with another proven vet or higher quality drafted one. Eislen had one maybe two tries at Center before the end of last season?  Kramer still hasn't done much (even though he was out on IR for most of last year).

Evans? 

I was just saying from a roster perspective, those are the actual holes and where is looks like upgrades are needed (bold). 

TE hole filled with Tonyan. 

1 hour ago, adam said:

Evans? 

I was just saying from a roster perspective, those are the actual holes and where is looks like upgrades are needed (bold). 

Strike that, meant Davis.  

Ah, understand now.  

So technically 3 "holes" left on the 53-man roster, 2x DL (1x DE, 1x DT), and 1 LB. Not bad for 4 days in. 

Poles can still also upgrade a few positions before the draft, OL, DL, LB and CB most notably. 

Moore, Foreman, and Walker all ex-Panthers. Should make for an easier transition for all of them. 

 

Trade updates:

So Pick#1 for Pick #9, #61, 2024 1st, 2025 2nd, DJ Moore, D'onta Foreman, and PJ Walker?

4 minutes ago, adam said:

So technically 3 "holes" left on the 53-man roster, 2x DL (1x DE, 1x DT), and 1 LB. Not bad for 4 days in. 

Poles can still also upgrade a few positions before the draft, OL, DL, LB and CB most notably. 

I love this analysis and thread - it's great to see it all in one place.

I still feel we dont have a RT at the level of some of these recent low cash signings on the roster (or better), so I'd add that to the list of holes?

3 minutes ago, adam said:

So technically 3 "holes" left on the 53-man roster, 2x DL (1x DE, 1x DT), and 1 LB. Not bad for 4 days in. 

Poles can still also upgrade a few positions before the draft, OL, DL, LB and CB most notably. 

Did you mean on the Defense only?  Because I still have RT wide open and C as a huge question mark. 

3 minutes ago, ASHKUM BEAR said:

Did you mean on the Defense only?  Because I still have RT wide open and C as a huge question mark. 

Yeah, so initially I went with actual roster losses (Monty, Evans, Blackson, Smith, etc) as holes.

So technically at RT, the Bears don't have a hole, they just need an upgrade there. I just listed the need as OL right now, but it can definitely be RT. 

For Center, they have Patrick, Kramer, and Whitehair as options. With the addition of Davis, a true Guard, and Jenkins, I think they will go with the "best-5" in training camp with guys competing at multiple positions. 

8 minutes ago, BearFan PHX said:

I love this analysis and thread - it's great to see it all in one place.

I still feel we dont have a RT at the level of some of these recent low cash signings on the roster (or better), so I'd add that to the list of holes?

Thanks, I will need to get into the weeds a little more on exact position needs. Right now I just did position groups as I don't know exactly where everyone will lineup. However, RT looks like a upgrade need regardless of who they put there right now based off the current roster (Leatherwood, Borom, etc) with Reiff gone.

What does the bold indicate?

We have two needs on OL.  There is no-one on the roster that can fill in at LT.  If we draft Paris Johnson from Ohio State, he could be the starting RT and backup LT.

6 minutes ago, Mongo3451 said:

What does the bold indicate?

We have two needs on OL.  There is no-one on the roster that can fill in at LT.  If we draft Paris Johnson from Ohio State, he could be the starting RT and backup LT.

The bold guys are the 53-man roster slots where the Bears can easily upgrade whether that is starter, rotational, or sub. They won't upgrade them all, but with 10 picks and several FA signings left, at least 6 draft picks with some additional FA and UDFA signings will push some of the bold guys off the roster or to the PS. 

For LT, it is probably Jones-Borom right now.

Based on last year's 53-man composition and using all the current players under contract. Here is what I came up with for positions, holes, needs, etc.

Blue is a 53-man roster spot, red is a 53-man roster spot that could use an upgrade.  Bold is new player. White is non-53 man roster, likely Practice Squad.

I see 13 possible upgrades with 1 to 2 starters in need of an upgrade, CB and probably RT. After that the biggest needs are on the D-Line and actually LB corps after the top 3. By quantity, the Bears could upgrade 4 DL slots, 3 LB slots, 2 CB slots, 1 OL spot, 1 WR spot, 1 S spot, and 1 TE/FB slot. 

For the O-Line, the biggest need is deciding on what to do with the RT. If you keep Jones and Whitehair in place, plug Patrick back into C, add Davis to RG, it would seem like sliding Jenkins out to RT is the only option. Since that is undecided, I considered RT a need. However, outside of that, the rest of the offense is basically done.

So it would be prudent if they addressed CB and RT before the draft, then they could go BPA to replace and upgrade by bumping current starters into backup rotational slots. In the draft, they need to go DL, CB, and OL to upgrade those starter spots with rookies, preferably a top DT and DE, CB, and OT. 

 

There should be a bit more red on that table.   St Bown needs to be replaced by a young WR    

You’ve got Jenkins at RT but he will remain at RG.   Davis goes to LG.  Whitebait has to earn a spot but gets first crack at C.  Patrick is the backup. 

We keep looking at additions to the roster but who on this roster that could end up  being a starter that we aren't paying attention to?

Dieter Eiselen/ C

kellen Diesch/RT

Jaylon Jones/CB

Josh Blackwell/CB

Michael Ojenmuda/ CB

Travis Gipson/DE.   Finally takes off

Terrell Lewis/DE 4.69 speed

There going to add a RT, DE, and DT, we will be fine.

 

 

 

 

2 hours ago, AZ54 said:

There should be a bit more red on that table.   St Bown needs to be replaced by a young WR    

You’ve got Jenkins at RT but he will remain at RG.   Davis goes to LG.  Whitebait has to earn a spot but gets first crack at C.  Patrick is the backup. 

ESB is WR4 or WR5, I don't know how much of an impact guys like that have on the overall outcome of a game. A typical WR4 averages 1 catch per game. Even in the low-volume Bears passing offense from 2022, ESB still had 21 receptions with a 15.4 average. That is good enough for a WR4 or 5. 

I just went off speculation, but RT is still a need. The Bears technically have 3 guys that can play Center in Patrick, Whitehair, and Kramer; and Patrick and Whitehair can also play guard, so there is still some juggling to do. 

6 minutes ago, adam said:

ESB is WR4 or WR5, I don't know how much of an impact guys like that have on the overall outcome of a game. A typical WR4 averages 1 catch per game. Even in the low-volume Bears passing offense from 2022, ESB still had 21 receptions with a 15.4 average. That is good enough for a WR4 or 5. 

I just went off speculation, but RT is still a need. The Bears technically have 3 guys that can play Center in Patrick, Whitehair, and Kramer; and Patrick and Whitehair can also play guard, so there is still some juggling to do. 

I think we are set at receiver.  It will be interesting to see who plays slot.  Your speculation is right with RT, as we don't have anyone on the roster.  Leatherwood and Diesch were cut very early in their careers, Leatherwood for slow recognition and Diesch for being too weak and extremely short arms.  Both players are super athletic.  Out of those two, Leatherwood gets the nod for backup guard.  Diesch should be cut.  Borom has shown lack of awareness, slow feet and short arms.  He also should be cut.  I'm looking for veteran swing tackle to come in with a very high draft choice.  Kramer is odd man out at center if they elect to pay Whitehair.

The chart is excellent, but i think DeMarcus Walker is a DE, not a DT. He never played any 1st down DT, only passing downs moving a DE inside for pure pass rush.

52 minutes ago, adam said:

ESB is WR4 or WR5, I don't know how much of an impact guys like that have on the overall outcome of a game. A typical WR4 averages 1 catch per game. Even in the low-volume Bears passing offense from 2022, ESB still had 21 receptions with a 15.4 average. That is good enough for a WR4 or 5. 

I just went off speculation, but RT is still a need. The Bears technically have 3 guys that can play Center in Patrick, Whitehair, and Kramer; and Patrick and Whitehair can also play guard, so there is still some juggling to do. 

For that reason I prefer to put a WR who has more upside or potential on the roster.  

32 minutes ago, AZ54 said:

For that reason I prefer to put a WR who has more upside or potential on the roster.  

The concern for any WR past 3 is they will have to play STs. 

48 minutes ago, BearFan PHX said:

The chart is excellent, but i think

52 minutes ago, BearFan PHX said:

The chart is excellent, but i think DeMarcus Walker is a DE, not a DT. He never played any 1st down DT, only passing downs moving a DE inside for pure pass rush.

is a DE, not a DT. He never played any 1st down DT, only passing downs moving a DE inside for pure pass rush.

Good catch, cut and paste error. 

5 minutes ago, adam said:

Good catch, cut and paste error. 

Oh cool! I thought it was part of the ongoing debate here about whether he can play DT full time!

I think Ojenmuda could be a wild card as a starter on the outside and Gordon covers the nickel back spot. Definitely need to upgrade the position but could get by with as we fill other spots. 

We still  probably bring in a CB in free agency that would be a starter but will draft a CB prospect also.

CB could be a sneaky high pick in our first four picks.

Here's5 players we took interviews with.

1. Deslin Alexandre - DL
2. Jalen Carter- DL 
3. Payne Durham - TE 
4. Paris Johnson Jr - OL
5. Jaelyn Duncan - OL
6. Ricky Stromberg - OL